Cotton-picking machine



-- Patented May 17, 19h21.

\ 16 SHIEETS-SHEET l.

AA. 1.' GIP'SON; com PICK'ING MACHINE. APPLmTmnj-mgn www, 1920.

A. L GIPSON. coTToN Home MAcHmE. APPLICATIN FILED 'MAYY' 1920.

Patented May-17,1921;

I6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EE l

1'. slPsoN. COTTON-. NCKING MACHINE. APPLICATIONl FILED MAY I7, |920.

Patented May 17, 1921.l

I6 SHEEYS*SHEET 4.

Patented May 17,1921.

IvG'SHEETS-SHEET 5.

A. J. GIPSON.

COTTON PICKING MACHINE. APPLlcAlN FILED MAYII. 1920.

Patented'May 17, 1921.

I6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Patented May 17, 1921.

16 SHEETS-SHEET I.

APPLICATION 4FILED HAY l1, |920. I A

Patented May 17, 1921.

lBfSHEE'TS-SHEET 8.

. J 9 7 M 1 oounsdl nous alcocca OQINHO APU Uw JT/ www., am. M 8 H 0000000 een lo, cov 9N l 0 I y Un 9 l 0I M ....muwwwz: :3. n.m.. M sono c una annuo vucwv anlaanesa 0 4 a. w 7 n /6 f Q, ,o c 6 n anotada;

A. J. GIPSON.

COTTON PICKING MACHIN APPucATloN man Mun, mo.

Patented May 17,1921.

16 SHEETS-SHET 9.

. A. J. GIPSON.l

coIToN PICKING MACHINE.

u' APPLICATION FILED MAY II, 1920. Patented May 17, 1921.

16 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

A. l. GlPSON.

COTTON PAICKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAI/,17. 1920:

Patented May 17, 1921.

16 SHEETS-SHEET ll- A. 1,. GlPsoN. lCOTTON EICKING MACHINE. -APPLICATION FILED MAY-I1,1920.

Patented May 17,1921.

16 SHEETS-SHEET l2.

A. 1. GIPSON.

COTTON PICKING MACHINE. APPucATmN man uAY|7,192u.

1,378,021, Patented Mayu, 1921.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

. J. GIPSON.

COTTON PICKING MACHINE.

APPucATloN FILED nM/11.1920.

Patented May 17,1921.

I6 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

il.: lllnlllllruvl A. 1. @IP-som. COTTONPICKING MACHINE. APPLICATION' FILED MAY I7, |920.

Patented May 17,1921.

I6 SHEETS-SHEET l5.

A. 1. GIPSON.

COTTON PICKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IMI/17, 1920.A

Patented May 17, 1921.-

I6 SHEETS-SHEET I6.

UNITED.. STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. GIIsoN, on PERKINS, OKLAHOMA.

10 all who/m. t may concern Be it known that I, ANDREW J. GIPsoN,a

citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Perkins, in the county of Payne and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Cotton-Picking Machines, of which the follow- Y ing is a specifica-tion. p

My present invention relates generally to cotton .picking apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus employing suction either in whole or in part for this purpose,

my object being the provision] of a meeha.

msm which will operate to effectively and eciently remove locks of cotton from cotton hulls without injuring the stalks, limbs or foliage of the cotton plants, as well as one which will so operate in connection with bushy or sparse, tall and short plants within a considerable range.y Y l LAurther object of the invention is the provision of a' portable machine in which the cotton picking device is mounted for movement along the rows yof cotton in such away as to avoid the necessity of anything but the mechanical Contact of the picking V.device withthe cotton plants.v

A still further object is the provision of an apparatus in which the plantswill be guided into and through the picking devices and so engaged and manipulated as to straighten out `their branches in order that the cotton bolls maybe presented in an accessible relation to the means employed for the removal of the locks.V

- Another object of the invention is the provisionof a picking apparatus of a movable nature in which the actual withdrawal of the locks of cotton is effected mechanically ton in connection withV the lock withdrawing means during the withdrawlng operation.

'ing drawings, forming a part ofA this specilication, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation looking at the leit hand side of the complete machine,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of ther-ight handy side thereof,`

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, Fig. 4 is a partial rear elevation, j Fig. 5 isa detailside view ofthe fan, Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section l co'IToN-PICKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I-ateI-led Flay 17,1921. Application ined may 17, 1920. serial Nb. 381,871. f

jside of one of the guide members and suction casings, the latter being partly broken away and in section, j

Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of the movable supporting frame of the picking mechanism, 'I

Fig. 13 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the upper cross box and suction casing hoods together with the movable supporting frame, f

Fig. 14 is a detail perspective view of the cross' box removed,

` Fig. 15 is a detail vertical section through a portion ofthe cross box illustrating the manner of attaching the flexible connection,

Fig. 16 is an enlargeddetail transverse section through the lower adjacent portions of the two guide wings taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 17 is avertical longitudinal section through the picking mechanism, i

Fig. y18 is a vertical transverse sectionv through one of the suction casings with the movable picking member in elevation,

Fig. 19 is a top plan view of one of the tail boxes removed, l Fig. 20 is a vertical section through one of the movable picking cylinders and its parts showing the upper portion of its journal tube in elevation, by means employing suction holding the cot- Fig.2l is a section through the upper portion of theV picking cylinder and the journal tube of Fig. 20, I

Fig. 22 is a horizontal sectionl through one of the movable picking devices and its suction casing,

Fig. 23`is a top plan view'of one of the I .movable picking members,

Fig. 24 is a detail side view of one of the hollow journal tubes, 'j

Fig. 25 is a side elevation of one ofthe picking cylinders with the perforate spirals j removed,

Fig. 26 is a longitudinal section through the cylinder of Fig. 25, Y

Fig. 27 isa transverse' section 'on line 27-27 of Fig. 25, and

Fig. 28 is a detail perspective view of one of the attaching brackets of thelperforate spirals. i Y

VReferring now to these figures and particularlyA to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive my invention proposes a machine the fra-me of which fincludes a horizontal platform movable upon front and rear wheels 31 and 32 and having at its forward end anysuitable draft vattachment generally indicated at 33.

The platform 3() mayas Yseen in Fig. 3

f consist merely in a frame having laterally spaced longitudinal side bars provided with oifset portions 34 intermediate their ends where the picking mechanism, to be hereinafter described, depends throughvand is ver- .tically adjustable within the frame or platform. ld'earwardly of the offset portions 34, the frame of the machine hasspaced upirights 35 transverselylalined and connected at their upper ends by a cross bar 36, the latter supportingthe forwardend of the upwaidly and iforwardly curving extension 37 of the cotton storage chamber 38, which forward extension 37 terminates atv its forward end in a downtiiriied spout or neck 39.V

vttached to the upi'ights. intermediate the ends of the latter arethe forward ends of the upper side rails 40 whose rear ends extend from the uppervcnds of rear up- -rights 41 thelatter supporting a rear upri-glitcas'ing 42 lwhich forms ,therein the cotton storage chamber 38 rand of which the upper forwardly curving extension 37 is a pjart. This casing 42has arlower rear door 43 onfhinges 44 at one side and having a catch at its opposite side to normally hold Vthe same in closed position, the hinges 44 and catch 45 being respectively in connection withthe opposite rear uprights 41.

l At the'. upper ends of the uprights 4l are mounted bearings 46 for the ends of the fan shaft 479Y which. latter extends through the upper portion of the cotton storage casing` 42 and through an ,annular fan casing 48 mounted in connection with the casing 42 and `having anupper outlet mouth 49. The fan 5() seen in Fig. 5 is secured on the shaft 47 within the casing 48 and has its intake throughfthel opening 51 ofthe adjacent side wall of the fan casing, opening 51 communi- Veating with the upper portion of the storage casing l42 above al partition 52 projecting forwardly in the extension 37 and forming lthe top of the cotton storage chamber 38.

The forward end of this partition 52 which is imperforate, connects with the rear end of a perforate partition 53 through the latter-of which the air is drawn toward the fan casing 4S above the partition 52, leaving the cotton below the partition so that it can drop into the storage casing 42. I Y

At'one end the fan shaft 47 has 'a pulley 54 connected by a belt 55 with a driven pulley 56 whose shaft 57 is driven from Van Vplatform uprights 35 and controlling springs 7 9.

. and around its angular downwardly inclined side openings 63. Along the lower edges of the side openings 63 arehinges 64 connecting the upperI inwardly curved portions 65 of a pair of laterally and downwardly extending hoods (36 of tubular form, which .are thus swingable in vertical-planes transi vei'sely of the cross box 6l on the hinges 54. 'llo the outer' surfaces of these hoods, asV

most plainly seen in Fig. 13, are secured Vrings 67 joining tothe hoods the outer edges of flexible webs 68 whose opposite edges are secured by bands 69 to the cross box 6l around its side openings 63 so as to span the flexible joints between these parts and prevent the leakage of air. l

The lower portion of the cross box 5l. and

the lower portions of the hoods G5, are

disposed within a rectangularv supporting f Vame 7 O having` side uprights 71 of the inverted U-form particularly seen in Fig. l2,

which uprights and the sideslof the franfiev 70 have openings 72 to receive the forward ends of U-shaped supporting rods 73 disposedin vertically spaced parallel relation vi'tli their cross bars joiirnaled in connection with the intermediate side uprights 35 of the frame yso. that the said rectangular supporting frame 70 is thus shiftable vertically and is at the same time maintained in horizontal position. ist the forward portion of the vertically adjustable supporting `traine 70 of the picking mechanism is secured a hook 74 which receives oneendot' a flexible connection 75 extending upwardly therefrom and forwardly and downwardly around a roller 76 on the forward end of the -extension37 of the cotton storage casing 42,

the forwardend of this i'iexilile connection 7 5 being adjustably anchored in connection with a memberr76 on the platform 30 so that the supporting frame 70 may be elevated as desired in addition to its normal adaptability to vertically yielding movement under control of rearwardly and upwardly inclined guide rods 77 extending through brackets 78. intermediate the ends of the provided with Entering the lower ends of the hoods 66 1. are a pair of tubular uprights 80 extending from the lupper forward ends of a pair of laterallyspacedsuctioii casings .81, one of avhich is plainly seen in Fig. 11,V each of these casings having anupper head portion 82 anda lower detachable `tail boX 83 to 'which the suction is communicated in operation. y,Each suction casing 81 has a chamber lpartially around its concave inner wall 84 and is disposed at a downwardly and rear-v 80, whose upper end has arms 87 extending I through portions of the casing head 82 to Vthe complete machine lateralfswinging movement the upper porprevent rotation of the tube. The journal tube86 ofeach` suction casing is open at its opposite ends into the head portion 82 and tail box 83 `of. the respective casing and is providedwith longitudinal slots 88 which are located along the inner side thereof away Vfrom the concave wall. 811, the latter of which has a lengthwiserslot 89 along and spaced from the inner side of therespective journal tube as plainly seen inFig. 22.

` The inner wall of each of the suction casings is approximately semicylindrical and its slot 89 is controlled by anadjustable gate 90 seen in Fig. 22 so as to thus regulate the amount of air passing inwardly of the casing through the slot. The forward angular Aedge of the inner wall 84; is provided withy a forwardly eXtending and downwardly and inwardly curved guide plate 91, and each of these guide plates, whose lower reinforced and angular edges 92 are in the spacedparallel relation shown particularly in Fig. 16 has anv upper extension 98 adjacent to which each of the suction casings as a whole is pivotally supported by brackets 94 pivotally connected through openings 95 in the forward cross bar of the' rectangular supporting frame 70, so that the two suction casingswith their curved forwardly projecting guide plates are thus yieldable toward and away from one another and laterally "of To control this tions of the hoods-66 have brackets 96 receiving the opposite angular ends of a rod ,9T Varound which a spring 98 is coiled between the brackets 96 andv thus the lower portions ofy the casings'below their above mentioned pivots swing outwardly away from one another under control of the tension of spring 98 as the latter iscompressed between'the brackets 96 which at that time move inwardly toward one another.

Around each of the journal tubes 86 which, as before stated is stationarily held in connection with its respective vsuction casing, is a cylinder' 99 within whose opposite ends are internal rings V100 as shown'in Fig. 26

,snugly seated on and surrounding the journal tube, each vcylinder yhaving lengthwise i -iinternalrider strips 101 extending lengthwise -thereof at circumferentially spaced points as seen particularly in Fig. 27, located in internal grooves 102, and also in even uniform contact with the surface of the journal tube 86 so that the spaced wall of cylinder 99 which has slots 103 therethrough between the several rider strips 101 is divided' into segments which in the rota-` the upper end of the respective suction casy ing 81, and which is in turn engaged by a gear 107 mounted upon a Vcross shaft 108. This latter shaft is journaled in bearings 109 mounted upon forwardly extending brackets 110 projecting from the cross box 61V as seen in Fig. 1-1, and as seen particularly in Fig. 10 shaft 108 has at'one projecting end a sprocket wheel 111 which, it willv be noted in Fig. 2, is connected by a sprocket chain 112, to a sprocket wheel 113 on a shaft 114C. This shaft is geared to a shaft 115 and .the latter has a sprocket wheel 116 connected by a sprocket chain .117 with a sprocket wheel 118 mounted upon the rear axle 119 adjacent to one of the rear wheels 82.

Thus it is obvious from a comparison of Figs. 8 and 9 that the two side suction casings 81 can shift laterally toward and away from one another by virtue of the fact that the gears 105 and 108 engage in a plane at right angles to such swinging movement and the slight angular movement between the gears may be allowed for in the nfieshing of their teeth.

Around each of the cylinders 99 are a series of spiral perforate wings 120, each supported by brackets 121 which are attached thereto and to the cylinder, and certain of which as shown in Fig. 28 have imperforate body portionsI 122 with flanges 128 connected to the perforate wings'and flanges 124 connected to the cylinders so as to J:hns space the wings off into unconnected sections which in view of the successive registration of the sections of the cylinders with the suction openings of the ournal tubes, brings about an arrangement wherein the inner portions only of the opposing spiral perforate picking devices are subjected to the suction during their rotation.

It is obvious that as the entire machine as seen for instance in Figs. 1 and 2 is drawn along a row of cotton plants, with the suc' virtue of the guide plates 91 and that the sol lclination as before described.

suction casiiigs will be free to yield laterally V,under the edect of abnormally large plants,

stumps and other obstructions.

During this time the suction fan'is constantly in rotation with the engine or motor 58m operation, through its driving belt 55 and the suction generated thereby in the extension 37 ot' the cotton storage casing 42, isv coi'ninunicated through the flexible tube 59, cross boi: Gl, and the suction casiiigs, to the head portionsand tail boxes 82 and 83 of thesuction casings andthus to the interior of the ournal tubes 86. f

rlhe movement of the vehicle rotates the perr'orate spiral picking devices in relatively opposite directions so that their inner adjacent portions move rearwardly away from one another and their spirals at the same time curve upwardly, this by virtue of the parallel dispositionV ot' these picking devices and their downward and rearward inplants pass between the perforate spi 'al picking devices, the suction communicated 'through the controlling devices to the inner adiacent portions or the pertorate spirals has the effect ot drawing` the cotton locks against lthe periorate surface and holding Vthe saine thereon while the upward curving otthc spirals pulls the vloclr ot cotton free and ycarries it into the space within the concave inner wail oi the respective suction casing. By the time the cotton lock so withdrawn from the plant is within the space inclosed by this concave innerrwall, the suction to `the respective portion of the perforate spiral has been cut oil and the lock thus rests freely On the spiral from which it is withdrawn byY virtue of the suction through the slot S9 of the inner wall 84, being thus drawn into the A Vpasses along the same under the influence of the section until it reaches the impertforate section 52 and being thus separated from the suction, drops into the storage casing 42.

The cotton so collected may be removed Vfrom time to time through the rear door 43 and'is thus treated in its passage in such manner that itis finally extracted in a reinarkably clean condition and this materially Yenhances its commercial value -in a raw picked state. 1 claim:

V1. ln a cotton picker, a pair of laterally spaced rotating cylinders having hollow perorate picking wings disposed spirally thereon, and internally communicating with the Thus as the cylinder during part oic each rotation of the latter, a wheeled frame in which said cylinders are mounted in parallel inclined relation, suction supply means Jor the cylinders and the hollow wings, andV means for ro-V tating the cylinders so that their spiral wings proceed upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the frame. Y c

' 2. ln a cotton picker, a pair oi laterally spaced rotating cylinders 'having periorate hollow wings disposed spirally thereon, and

wardly and rearwardly `attheir inner ad-V c jacent faces as described.

3. 1n a cotton picker, a pair of laterally spaced rotating cylinders having hollow periorate wings disposed spirally thereon, suc- Y tion supply means for the cylinders, a mov-v able frame in which Vsaid cylinders are supported in parallel upwardly and forwardly inclined relation, means for rotating the cylinders, and a frame within themovable support and vertically adjustable with respect to the latter, to which the cylinders are connected.

4. In a cottonv picker, a pair of laterally spaced rotating cylinders having suction supply means and provided with spiral peripheral wings ,of hollow perforate form,

' subject to the suction within said cylinders,

and movable means -for supporting the said cylinders in laterally yielding relation.

ln a cotton picker, a pair of laterally spaced rotating cylinders having suction supply means and provided with hollow perforate wings arrange-d spirally on the periphery thereof and subject to thesuction therein, a wheeled frame, and a frame vertically adjustable in the wheeled trame and in which the said cylinders are supported in laterally yielding relation. y

G. ln a cotton picker, a pair of rotating `cylinders having perforate hollow wings disposed spirally thereon, suction means in communication with said wings through the said cylinders, and a wheeled frame in which the cylinders are mounted in vertically adjustable and laterally yielding relation.

7. In a cotton picker, a pair of rotating cylinders having hollow pericorate wingsV disposed spirally thereon, and means' for communicating suction to the interior of said wings along the inner acjacent faces of the cylinders. Y

8. In a cotton picker, Va vpair otrotating cylinders having hollow pertorate wings disposed spirally thereon, and means for suc- 

